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Sales debate: Are there any classic Porsche 911s to avoid?

For the last few years, air-cooled 911 prices have been rising across the board, from the 2.0-litre short-wheelbase Porsches that started the legend to the swansong era cars of the 993.

With the market driven particularly vigorously by the 50th anniversary two years ago, all ilk of classic 911s seem to be providing sure-fire returns. But, is such a sweeping statement actually true? Or are there classic 911s to avoid at the moment?

“No, I don’t think there is an early 911 to avoid,” Lee Maxted-Page, proprietor of Maxted-Page & Prill confirms. “It’s all moving up (at slightly different rates). I think buying anything is a wise investment on both a personal and a financial level.” Maxted-Page points out that certain cars may have already started to level out price-wise however, he “certainly can’t see any going down [in value]”.

Another seasoned Porsche expert, Mark Sumpter – head of independent specialist, Paragon – confirms “there is not one to avoid.” However, he explains how “we’re starting to see gaps between certain models”. With air-cooled Porsche prices seeing huge premiums, buyers are less willing to compromise on specification, something Sumpter feels will cause a divide in the market.

“Look at 964s, for instance. All [Carreras] were always about the same price. If you draw a line in the sand at some point in the past, when they were £15,000, it didn’t matter if the car was a Targa Tiptronic or a manual Coupe.”

“Now you’re starting to see bigger differences between things like Tiptronics and manuals. Whereas this is currently 25 per cent, I reckon that it will be 100 per cent dearer [in a few years],” Sumpter continues. “I think that a 964 Carrera 2 Coupe manual will soon be a £60,000 car, and a Tiptronic will be £30,000.”

Another big differentiator is the quality of the cars. Both Maxted-Page and Sumpter agree that condition and history will have an effect on your investment in the long term.

“Buyers are becoming more selective again, meaning that the best examples are still selling for top prices but that lesser cars are being valued, quite rightly, for less,” Maxted-Page explains.

With many people deciding to hang onto their air-cooled 911s at the moment, the problem therefore isn’t choosing which classic model to invest in. Instead, it is sorting the wheat from the chaff and ensuring that you buy the best possible example.

For market advice on any generation or style of Porsche 911, check out our full selection of sales debates, where we ask the 911 experts the pertinent market questions so you don’t have to.